This proposal focuses on the development of visual form perception during early infancy, and consists of two different, yet related, lines of research. The first involves the study of human infant form perception and its development. The preferential looking literature is discussed first and the conclusion drawn that it does not provide a general characterization of the state of infant form perception. An alternative experimental and theoretical approach is proposed which involves measurement of the contrast sensitivity function. The results of preliminary analyses indicate the potential utility of this approach. Several experiments are proposed to develop this line of research. The effects of stimulus intensity and pattern will be assessed quantitatively. The relative processing capabilites of central and peripheral vision will be traced developmentally. The development of feature analysis for size and orientation will be investigated. Furthermore, a set of experiments concerned with the role of early perceptual experience will be conducted. Finally models of infant visual preference will be developed and their predictive validity compared to that of existing models. The second line of research involves the development of some sensorimotor abilities required for acute form perception. It is argued that the development of refraction and accommodation is intimately involved in the growth of form perception capabilities. Several experiments are proposed including: investigation of the mechanisms which underlie early changes in refraction and accommodation, longitudinal investigation of the relation between refraction and accommodation, investigation of measurement errors in clinical assessments, and finally, further development of laboratory and clinical techniques for infant assessment. It is also argued that the development of refraction and accommodation provides an excellent model for studying principles of general sensorimotor development.